New Delhi, Sept. 10: BJP veterans L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi are pitching for a sinecure, after being kept out of the cabinet, parliamentary positions and party posts.
Sources said the duo were looking to be named the president of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), which draws its cachet as a nodal cultural body to project India’s soft power globally.
But Narendra Modi is not keen on either and has “turned down” overtures made by a Joshi pleader, the sources said, adding the Prime Minister’s own choice was a “younger” person who combined “some political experience” with a background and working knowledge of culture.
Topping the chart of such contenders who could potentially fit the bill is Kirron Kher, the BJP’s Chandigarh MP and Bollywood’s “reigning mom”. The sources said her spouse Anupam Kher was rooting for her.
Kirron, who was spoken to earlier when the buzz first gained currency, denied the speculation. “Nothing of that sort,” she had asserted.
Kirron’s name has also done the rounds as the next censor board chief. The growing buzz over the ICCR role now suggests she could be a contender for both assignments.
The Advani camp, though, is still clutching on to hope. A source close to him claimed that Sushma Swaraj, who is seen as his protege and is expected to have a say in the appointment as foreign minister, was “keen” on the veteran helming the ICCR, although there was no confirmation from Sushma or her aides.
“Modi and the Prime Minister’s Office will be the final arbiter,” a Sushma aide stressed. Her ministry has administrative jurisdiction over the council.
“The choice of the (ICCR) president will be critical in establishing a pattern in which appointments to headless bodies, particularly those dealing with education and culture, are made,” an Opposition MP said.
Advani votaries in the BJP adduced familiar arguments of how he was still in the pink of health and, therefore, “ready” to take on “responsibility” and how he deserved a post in keeping with his “age and stature”.
“If the Congress could give this post to one of its most senior MPs, then Advaniji surely merits consideration,” a source said, referring to Karan Singh who was ICCR president for 10 years of the UPA’s rule. His term ended last month.
The ICCR president is appointed for three years but the tenure can be extended. The post carries perks similar to that of a cabinet minister. Under protocol, the incumbent can attend official receptions and ceremonies hosted for visiting dignitaries — a ritual Advani can’t partake of now unless personally invited to such an event.
